I read 9 books related to the Avon/Equinox series, as well as 1 book by a different author. I began a new series (4 books) by Michael Moorcock. The Jewel In The Skull is from 1967, and is the first book in his Hawkmoor, or Runestaff series. Set in the far future, the evil fold from Great Britain are attempting to take over all the lands of Europe, subjecting the people who surrender right away, and exterminating any one who resists. Sounds plausible. Anyway, we are off to a rip-roaring start. A small kingdom ruled by Count Brass, in the south of France, is resisting. My edition has many beautiful illustrations (see my Moorcock page), and this mixture of fantasy and science fiction appeals to me. I am looking forward to book 2.
Next up was Ballard's Empire of the Sun, a largely fictional account of Japan's conquest of China in WW 2, but based on the author's own experiences as a boy in an internment camp at the time. The book is a welcome reminder of the dehumanization that war brings. If there is a hell, then it is on Earth during wartime. Any war, any time. Watching Trump pardon American soldier war criminals is more than a little bit painful. Of course the Japanese were evil at this time (and many other times). But they hardly stand alone in that category. Anyway, this is a must read novel about suffering and deprivation, and the effect it might have on children.
Barry Malzberg continues to score bulls eyes for me, and his 1971 The Spread is, like most of his novels, one of a kind. It is far more than just entertaining, too. It's about the publisher of a dirty newspaper that publishes photos (of men and women) and articles related to sex. Some of the darkest humour I have ever encountered is in these pages. reading this kept me laughing and wide-eyed most of the time. An off-beat book that I can highly recommend.
A less than stellar book by James Blish was next, called The Duplicated Man. One of Blish's earliest novels, it was co-written with Robert Lowndes. They are credited for the first use of clones, anywhere (much as Blish was the first to use virtual reality, in the first of his Cities In Flight novels). There is very little action, and plenty of talking. And there are so many characters in such a short book, that it makes identifying with any of them difficult. Clever, but hardly up to Blish's usual standards. The way the chapters are laid out, I have a feeling that the two writers took turns, with one man writing the first half of a chapter, and the other man the second.
Then it was time to start over again (it now takes me 5-6 weeks to cycle through a book by each remaining author). Conquerors From The Stars, by Robert Silverberg, is an expansion of a novelette he wrote, and quite a good one at that. The original short verson is from 1957, and the expanded one from 1965. Having read the original one first, I found that the full novel did not really add anything to the experience. I enjoyed both versions, but either one would work. Aliens have landed (and departed), leaving the world with a planet-wide ocean. Inhabited islands have trade, and they are protected from piracy by futurist Vikings and their ships. Enjoyable, and well written. Beware,though. No females need apply for roles in this story.
Norman Spinrad's Osama The Gun was written in 2007, but could not find a publisher until 2016. I'm not surprised. It's a harrowing and violent first person (epic) novel about a young Islamic jihadist. The book has large segments in Paris (very well done), Mecca (brilliantly done), Nigeria (yawn), and back to Mecca for the grand finale (silly). It's the near future, and the Great Satan (American, of course--never China or Russia) will stop to any and all tactics to keep the oil flowing towards itself. We already know what motivates terrorists and how they think (they don't), and how Islam has been twisted to fit their own definition, but reading the book adds more dimensions to the problems. Not indispensable, but overall makes for riveting reading.
I finished Piers Anthony's trilogy Tarot, with Faith of Tarot. We get answers, and a fitting conclusion, to a series that must rank among the best I've ever read (same with his Of Man and Manta trilogy). It is a must read book, even if you are that into Tarot. Even so, it is best to have a deck beside you when you read. The books are more about who God is, and why he is never around when you need him, but Satan always seems to be there for us. It is filled with fascinating imagery, intelligent conversations (with people such as Jesus), and unique perspectives on age old questions. Very well done!
And I finished up another trilogy, John Christopher's earliest series for young readers, The Tripods. The Pool of Fire tells how the Tripods were eventually defeated by humans. It's a pretty solid series, sticks to its theme, but it's one of those "boys only" books, which I find tiresome (I did as a young reader, too. I happen to like girls in stories).
20 short stories by Harry Harrison were next, in The Best of Harry Harrison. He is one of favourite writers, and the stories are top knotch, from very funny to very deadly. Harrison has a very wide range of styles and story types, and excels at all of them.
I continue to enjoy Kenneth Bulmer's Key to Irunium series, 7 books in all, I think. The Wizards of Senchuria is a solid entry in the series, and there are women with active roles (lots of them!). This 4th book is very short, though, and ends rather abruptly (word quota reached for Ace Double publication).
My lone novel expanding my horizons beyond the Avon/Equinox series (as if needed) was a masterpiece of humour by P. D. Wodehouse called Pigs Can Fly. Incredible writing skill, funny as anything, and part of a loose series he wrote based on the imaginary Blandings Castle. Rich and totally delightful.
Mapman Mike
No comments:
Post a Comment